Star Wars (2020) 8

The issue features the story "The Will of Tarkin Part II: Prey," in which Commander Ellian Zahra confronts Princess Leia Organa, as the Alliance Fleet battles the Imperial Navy.

Publisher's summary

TO ESCAPE THE EMPIRE'S TRAP, THE REBELS SPRING ONE OF THEIR OWN! What's behind COMMANDER ZAHRA's quest for revenge against LEIA ORGANA? The powerful, dark answer revealed this issue! And the REBEL'S Fourth and Seventh Divisions will pay the price for Zahra's revenge. See LUKE SKYWALKER, WEDGE ANTILLES and SHARA BEY battle against an onslaught of TIE fighters in the greatest dog fight of the series.

Opening crawl

The heroic Rebel Alliance is scattered and
on the run from the evil Galactic Empire
after losing the Battle of Hoth. Princess
Leia attempts to rally her friends before all
hope is lost.

But the Empire's cunning Commander
Zahra has broken Rebel security codes and
will stop at nothing to crush the Rebellion
once and for all.

Zahra now springs her deadliest trap yet
on the unsuspecting Rebel fleet....

Plot summary

The Emperor is on his throne on Coruscant, flanked by two guards. Darth Vader kneels before him, reporting on the aftermath of Hoth. "The rebel fleet has scattered into small cells," Vader says, "they're disorganized and afraid."

The Emperor decrees that the fleet must be hunted down and destroyed immediately. He laments that Tarkin and Thrawn are gone, with few to match their skill. While he regrets delaying the search for Anakin Skywalker's son, he decides Vader will lead the hunt for the rebels. Vader claims there is another option.

At mining facility 81-B on Kessel, Commander Zahra is surprised to receive an incoming transmission from Vader himself. Vader notes her close work with Tarkin, her mentor. Zahra confirms this, but admits that she failed Tarkin on a previous assignment, leading to a demotion. She believes he would have given her a chance at redemption.

Vader agrees to provide that chance now, putting her in command of the hunt. Zahra, honored, vows not to fail.

Aboard the Tarkin's Will, Lieutenant Gorr questions Zahra's decision to lead a boarding party in the middle of a battle. Zahra explains that an incredibly valuable rebel target is aboard, and she trusts no one else to capture it. She tells Gorr to "do what she would do" and departs on a shuttle.

As the boarding party blasts their way onto a rebel ship, Leia receives a report of the breach. She's told the attack is small and manageable, but she immediately suspects they're after something specific. Suddenly, a technician alerts Commander Grek to a critical reactor malfunction.

A transmission from Zahra cuts through the chaos. She has deactivated the reactor's safety systems, and the ship will explode in minutes. The only way to save it, she states, is for Princess Leia to go to the engine room—alone. Zahra only wants to "have a conversation." Grek tries to stop her, but Leia insists on a simple choice and hands over her blaster.

Meanwhile, Luke and the rest of the fleet clear a path through the blockade of TIE fighters.

Leia arrives at the engine room. Zahra's voice, coming from an unknown location, notes their shared experience as orphans, her family killed by rebels. She explains that she joined the Empire to prevent what happened to her from happening to other families.

Suddenly, Luke bursts in, lightsaber ignited. While Zahra is capable of defeating him, she's been ordered not to. Activating her breathing mask, she smashes a nearby window and uses her jetpack to fly back to the Star Destroyer, leaving many dead rebel soldiers in her wake. She orders her subordinates to prepare for a jump to lightspeed.

The rebels regroup, and Luke checks on Leia. She's shaken by the intensity of Zahra's hatred. Aboard the Star Destroyer, Zahra smiles, satisfied. The princess now knows she will never stop.

Media

Cover gallery

Cover A Cover A (not final) Cover B Cover B (not final) Cover B (unlettered) Cover C Cover D

Collected in

• Star Wars Vol. 2: Operation Starlight

Appearances

Sources

• The Empire Attacks in Marvel's Star Wars #8 - Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references

External links

• Marvel Comics' November 2020 comic book solicitations and covers revealed on GamesRadar (backup link archived on August 20, 2020)